Connecting online is a great way to foster international academic partnerships, yet there’s nothing like meeting in person to add richness and depth to a relationship. So says Amir Asif, York’s vice-president research and innovation, whose recent visits to universities in Germany and France exemplify how meeting in person promotes international collaboration.
“Meeting in person allows us to explore those connections in a much richer way,” says Asif. “Touring labs, asking questions and having informal conversations that often spark new ideas. These interactions not only deepen our academic relationships but also open doors to collaboration and funding opportunities.”
Asif and his colleagues have been working to deepen their knowledge about European universities, and through delegations to France and Germany last fall, they have a more robust understanding of how new partnerships and opportunities can drive a positive path forward for York.
Delegations at these post-secondary counterparts include touring facilities, as well as meeting with research funding councils and government officials. The experience also provides an opportunity to see first-hand how these academic communities align with York’s institutional priorities. Many delegations include visits to multiple universities, which helps to mobilize understanding research objectives more broadly.
“At York, we are committed to growing these relationships, exploring new areas of synergy, and creating opportunities for our students, faculty and researchers to engage globally,” says Vinitha Gengatharan, York’s assistant vice-president global engagement and partnerships.
The Fall 2024 visits took York’s delegations to Goethe University Frankfurt and University of Konstanz in Germany, and the Sorbonne and Institut Pasteur in France, adding to York’s already strong collaborative partnerships with European institutions.
For example, exchanges are already in place with several European institutions, and in 2023-24, 390 exchange students from countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Norway and more studied at York, while 315 York students studied at institutions in the Netherlands, the U.K. and Spain. In the past year, York also received academic delegations from Bauhaus University Weimar in Germany, Lyon 1 in France and ICAI School of Engineering in Spain.
York formalizes research partnerships through memorandums of understanding (MOUs), such as the agreement between York’s Connected Minds research group and the University of Konstanz Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour in Germany.
Individual collaborations have also flourished across the University, including Faculty of Health Professor Michaela Hynie’s work with Annette Korntheuer at Munich University of Applied Sciences on issues related to forced migration. York Research Chair Jianhong Wu, from the Department of Mathematics and Statistics in the Faculty of Science, works closely with Laurent Pujo-Menjouet, deputy director of the Faculty of Sciences at Claude Bernard University 1 in France, on issues related to vaccine mathematics.
In addition to nurturing existing partnerships, York continues to seek new collaborative opportunities, and has identified promising areas with Goethe University Frankfurt in artificial intelligence (AI), feminist research, bees and ecology, and environmental and urban change.
Asif notes that in-person visits offer greater opportunity to understand the academic landscape of international institutions and helps to highlight the similarities to and differences from the Canadian post-secondary sector.
“I think we have a common culture and connection, the same democratic norms,” says Asif. “Their aspirations align closely with ours, including research excellence, social equity, health equity, social justice and a meaningful contribution to society.”
He also sees a shared commitment to multidisciplinary academic programs. “We want to prepare graduates who are leaders in their respective fields.”
Asif says the delegations also provide meaningful feedback from international universities on what Canadian institutions are doing well. “There’s a real admiration among our German counterparts, as an example, for how Canada approaches these complex issues,” he says. “They look up to Canada, because we’ve introduced immigration in a way that embraces multiculturalism, and that model is deeply relevant to broader societal discussions.”
He adds that with global challenges from climate change to democratic governance, the need for partnership has never been greater. “No single institution or country can solve them alone. That’s why collaboration is essential.”
Gengatharan agrees and says these collaborations “allow us to connect across disciplines and geographies to address complex challenges together.”
There are also practical and financial benefits to forming these partnerships, notes Amir. “Research is expensive and collaboration allows us to share labs, data and resources. But just as important is the sharing of ideas, especially in areas where society is evolving rapidly and new policy responses are needed,” he says.
Creating meaningful international connections means York reciprocating regularly by welcoming delegates from European universities and sharing overseas opportunities with faculty.
An event at the Keele Campus on May 1 will continue to strengthen the York-Germany partnership, offering a chance for faculty to learn about successful collaborations, funding opportunities from German agencies and guidance on connecting with Germany’s Clusters’ of Excellence, which are collaborative research projects funded by the country's government.
Asif sees the May event as a continuation of the relationship-building his past trips abroad fostered.
“I'm really looking forward to exploring how we can deepen our existing partnerships, whether through academic exchange or collaborative research initiatives.”
York researchers and faculty can register for the May 1 event here.
With files from Suzanne Bowness